EUSEW 2025: Commissioner Hoekstra calls for climate, competitiveness, and independence

The European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) is back for its 19th edition, bringing together policymakers, innovators, industry leaders, and energy experts in a hybrid format, both in Brussels and online. EUSEW is the EU’s flagship event for promoting renewables and energy efficiency, setting the agenda for a more sustainable, resilient, and competitive Europe.

At the heart of this year’s Policy Conference is a shared mission: accelerating the clean transition in the face of climate urgency and growing geopolitical pressure. In his keynote address, Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra struck a bold and pragmatic tone, reframing the green transition as a cornerstone of economic strategy and security.Climate action is no longer just about environmental preservation. It’s about economic survival. Europe is heating up twice as fast as the global average, and climate-related damages already cost €50–100 billion per year. From flooding to supply chain disruption, the costs are stacking up. “This is not only about saving bees and trees. This is about economic security,” Hoekstra said, adding that the EU cannot afford to be held hostage again, by fossil fuel volatility, by grid bottlenecks, or by slow innovation.

At the heart of the EU’s plan is the Clean Industrial Deal (CID), a roadmap for ensuring Europe leads in clean tech, creates high-quality jobs, and builds a resilient, independent economy. With billions earmarked for EU-made clean manufacturing, the CID aims to boost investment certainty and bring scale to Europe’s thriving startup ecosystem, especially in cleantech. But ambition alone won’t cut it. The Commissioner called for what he termed a “Marshall Plan for Energy”, built on five essential pillars.

Five Pillars to Power the Transition

1. Scale Up Renewables. Costs have fallen sharply—especially for solar. Now is the time to double down and fast-track deployment.

2. Invest in Grid Infrastructure. Europe needs a grid that matches its renewable potential. More capacity, faster permitting, smarter systems.

3. Interconnect Across Member States. One European energy market, not 27 fragmented ones. Better interconnection will save billions and boost resilience.

4. Boost Storage Capacity. We can’t rely on the sun and wind 24/7. That’s where storage comes in, critical to balance generation with consumption.

5. Unlock Industrial Flexibility. And here came the most compelling story of the day.

Hoekstra recounted a recent visit to a Dutch paper mill, a heavy energy consumer. But here’s the twist: this mill doesn’t operate at full capacity all the time. It adapts its energy use throughout the day, even feeding unused capacity back into the grid. “On good days, the paper mill was making more money selling energy to the grid than from making paper,” Hoekstra said.

Working with the local electricity provider, they estimated that if 50–100 companies did the same over the next few years, up to 9% of extra grid capacity could be unlocked, without laying a single new cable. Across Europe, that could mean 5–7% of additional capacity, a small number with massive impact. “It’s cheaper than laying copper in the ground,” Hoekstra added. “And it’s an opportunity we must seize.” Hoekstra closed stating “I would love to be part of Dan Jørgensen’s Energy Union. And I’d love for you to be advocates of that journey.”

Because climate competitiveness, energy independence, and a stronger economy are not competing goals, they’re converging ones. And the Clean Industrial Deal is how Europe aims to win on all three fronts.